U.S. House of Representatives Delegation Strengthens U.S.-Sri Lankan Ties

Colombo, May 31, 2018: A bipartisan delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives visited Colombo from May 29 to 30 led by Congressman Mac Thornberry (Republican – Texas), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. The visit highlighted the broad bipartisan support for Sri Lanka in the U.S. Congress.

“Across the U.S. government, we see value in expanding our security partnership in ways that benefit the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap. “Sri Lanka’s progress as a democracy that will protect the rights of all its citizens and promote their prosperity regardless of ethnicity or religion can create opportunities for our growing military-to-military cooperation.”

During the visit, the delegation met with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker of the Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, Leader of the Opposition and Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan, State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardena, Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam, Defense Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne, members of Parliament, and civil society.